FALSE.
When you’re sick or hurt – the last thing you want to do is wait.
Having private health insurance means you:
- Are protected against high costs of care.
- Don’t have to wait for hospital procedures.
Can tailor your extras to your lifestyle, meaning you are covered for the services you need most.
I’m young and healthy – I don’t need private health insurance
FALSE.
Unfortunately, ill-health or accidents can strike at any time regardless of age.
Young people with basic health cover are protected from high costs of care – and can choose the healthcare provider and timing of the procedure themselves.
If I did have private health insurance, I would have to pay extra out-of-pocket costs, which I can’t afford
FALSE.
- Consumers can very easily sign up to ‘no gap’ and no excess cover – meaning they are covered for services by specialists who have agreed not to charge any extra
- Out of pocket costs occur when hospitals or specialists who don’t have an agreement with your provider, charge you excess costs
Consumers should always check with specialists about any out-of-pocket costs they might incur.
I can get exactly the same healthcare if I use the public hospital system
FALSE.
Private health patients’ median waiting time for elective surgery is 20 days, compared to 42 days for public patients. [Reference: AIHW report]
- Private health insurance allows consumers to choose their healthcare provider and the timing of their procedure.
- With private health insurance, you don’t have to wait for hospital procedures.
It’s not my responsibility to take out private health insurance to prop up the public health system
FALSE.
- Private health insurance is voluntary, but all Australians benefit when the private health sector works well.
- Private health insurance takes pressure off public hospitals.
Private health insurance is for the rich
FALSE.
Half of all Australians who have PHI have disposable incomes under $50,000 a year.